airBaltic welcomed its first airBaltic Pilot Academy graduate, Kaspars Kasakovskis, to join and serve as a Captain at the airline.
First cadets graduate to serve the airline as a Captain
Kaspars Kasakovskis, the first graduate of the airBaltic Pilot Academy, has completed the Captain upgrade and become the first Captain to graduate from the academy to serve the airline.
Kasakovskis is the first group of 12 cadets who started their training in 2018 at the Pilot Academy.
Diverse and Growing Student Body at the Academy
airBaltic Pilot Academy currently has 140 students from different cultural backgrounds.
While the majority of the students are from the Baltic countries, there are also students from other EU countries, including Denmark, Germany, France, Finland, Spain, Italy, and others.
There are over 10% female students in the academy.
Over time, 138 graduates of the academy have joined the airline and taken part in different roles, such as First Officers and training instructors.
The graduation for the next cohort is expected to take place at the start of the fresh academic year, and there are more than 20 students are expected to graduate.
Pathway to the Cockpit: Training and Financial Support
Currently, students of the airBaltic Pilot Academy need to pay EUR 25,000 (about £21,676) to cover the fees that apply to ATPL theory studies and 45 flight hours.
When the students pass the airBaltic pilot assessment and are granted employment by the airline, they can be granted a loan to cover the cost of the rest of their studies from the company.
airBaltic Interim CEO Pauls Cālītis said:
“Kaspars’ achievement is an outstanding milestone not only for him personally, but also for airBaltic and our Pilot Academy as a whole. It demonstrates the strength of the training and the clear career path we have built – from cadet to Captain. We are very proud of Kaspars, whose journey reflects the dedication and spirit of our entire team. Every graduate of the Pilot Academy carries the future of airBaltic in their hands, and Kaspars is a shining example of what can be achieved.”
airBaltic CEO Vilmantas Vaclovas Mažonas said:
“Since establishment of the Pilot Academy, we have successfully introduced a modern educational program for aspiring commercial pilots, and we take pride in the academy’s strong reputation, which has earned international recognition.”
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